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The
white lion is occasionally found in wildlife reserves in South Africa and is a rare color mutation of the Kruger subspecies of lion
(Panthera leo krugeri). It has been perpetuated by
selective breeding in zoos around the world. White lions are not a
separate subspecies and they have never been common in the wild.
Regarded as divine by locals, white lions first came to public
attention in the 1970s in Chris McBride's book The White Lions
of Timbavati. The greatest population of white lions are in
zoos where they are deliberately bred for color. The population of
the white lion is unknown but the most recent count was in 2004 and
30 were alive.White lions are not albino
lions. Instead, the white color is caused by a recessive gene known
as chinchilla or color inhibitor. They vary from
blonde through to near white, however some can also be red. This
coloration gives white lions a distinct disadvantage in nature
because they are highly visible. This gives them away to their prey
and makes them an attractive target for hunters. According to Linda
Tucker, in "Mystery of the White Lions - Children of the Sun God"
they are bred in camps in South Africa as trophies for canned
hunts.

Breeding white lions

The chinchilla mutation, a recessive gene, gives white lions their
unusual colors. A similar gene also produces white tigers. White lions can therefore be
selectively bred for zoos and
animal shows. Such breeding involves inbreeding of close relatives and can result in
inbreeding depression
(genetic defects, reduced
fertility, and physical defects) although this has not yet been
recorded in white lions in zoos it has in white tigers. According
to Tucker, white lions in canned hunt camps have been found to have
hind-limb paralysis and serious heart defects, indicating a severe
level of inbreeding involved in mass-production although they are
rare in the wild.People are concerned about the White Lions mating
with regular lions.

Timbavati white lions

White lions were first recorded in 1928 and in the early 1940s. In
1959, a pride with two white cubs was seen near Tshokwane in Kruger
National Park, but later vanished. Albino lions had been recorded
in the area according to David Alder ton's book "Wild Cats Of The
World". In
1974, a light Grey lion cub was born at Birmingham Zoo, Alabama.

In 1975, two white cubs were seen at Timberland Game Reserve, adjacent to
Kruger National Park. Their story is detailed by Chris McBride in
his book "The White Lions of Timbavati". The two cubs, Temba
(Zulu for "hope") and Tombi ("girl")
had a tawny brother called Vela ('surprise'). In 1975, a white
female cub called Phuma ("to be out of the ordinary") was sighted
in the Timberland pride.

A few months later Temba, Tombi, and Vela (who carried the
recessive white mutation) were taken to the National Zoo in
Pretoria, South Africa. Temba sired several cubs. Tombi had a white
cub in 1981, it was low in health but survived. Vela sired a
litter, they grew up to be strong unusually one out of the 4 cubs
was white while the rest were almost blonde. The white lions in the
Ouwehands Dierenpark (Netherlands) and a private South African Zoo
appear to be from Temba, or possibly Vela, lines. A few other white
or blond cubs were born in Timberland after Temba, Tombi, and Vela
were removed.Another white lion bloodline, possibly part of the
Timbavati bloodline, comes from a white male captured in the
Timberland area in the late 1980s and kept by a private
reserve.

Temba has left descendants in captivity. A heterozygous tawny lion at Pretoria
Zoo carries the mutation and most likely pass this on to his
offspring. Two heterozygous tawny males from the Cincinnati Zoo are
now at a private reserve in Africa. A white female and a
heterozygous tawny male were sent to the Zoological Animal
Reproduction Center in Indiana, USA. A second female was put
together with another but didn't get along so they were separated
for some time until they were comfortable in their
surroundings.

Kruger and Umfolozi white lions

In 1979, three litters containing white lions were recorded in
Kruger National Park. In March, a female lion with three white cubs
was observed near Tshokwane. In September, three white cubs (from
two different lionesses) were seen. Another litter of white female
cubs was captured from Kruger National Park and treated for
sarcoptic mange. A white lion was od in
the Hluhluwe-Umfolozi Game Reserve in Zululand.

White lions of unknown ancestry

Four white lion cubs were born at the Papanack Park Zoo outside Ottawa, but did
not resub-adults) have since been released into the main reserve
with the other tawny lions. Queen has since given birth to a
further 3 white lion cubs. Continuous monitoring by the Wildlife
Department at Sanbona has ensured their white lions are still wild,
well, and free.

Jurques Zoo in France

In May 2007 four white lion cubs were born at Jurques Zoo in
France. The cubs consisted of one male and three females. Each cub
weighed approximately 1.5 kilograms (3.3 pounds) at birth, and all
four were in good health. However, they needed to be hand fed
because their mother was not taking proper care of them.

White lions are only found in Africa and are kept in zoos. There
are only 20 in the world as counted in 2008.

White lion genetics

White lions are not albinos but are leucistic. They have pigment
visible in the eyes (which may be the normal hazel or golden color,
blue-gray, or green-gray), paw pads and lips. Blue-eyed white lions
exist and may be selectively bred. The leucistic trait is due to
the chinchilla mutation that inhibits the deposition of pigment
along the hair shaft, restricting it to the tips. The less pigment
there is along the hair shaft, the paler the lion. As a result
"white" lions range from blonde through to near white. The males
have pale manes and tail tips instead of the usual dark tawny or
black.

White lions in the wild within their natural endemic range

In 2003, the Global White Lion Protection Trust (WLT) initiated the
first ever reintroduction of white lions to their natural endemic
range - the Greater Timbavati region in South Africa. Preliminary
results have shown that the hunting success of the white lion pride
was comparable to or higher than the wild prides ('normal' coloured
/ tawny) of the Timbavati itself (Turner 2005, Turner in prep.).
This pride of "all" white lions has shattered the misperception
that white lions cannot hunt successfully (within their natural
endemic habitat) due to a perceived lack of camouflage. The
long-term objective of the WLT is to restore the natural balance by
reintroducing an integrated pride/s of white and tawny lions within
their endemic range. White lions are a unique contribution to the
biodiversity of the region and are revered by the local communities
that hold them sacred.